Adam J Novak

January 8, 2017August 29, 2017

Flags at Wisconsin National Guard armories, air bases and other facilities across the state will fly at half-staff Saturday (Sept. 11) in honor of U.S. Army Pvt. Adam Novak, who lost his life while serving his country in Operation Enduring Freedom. The Guard will render these honors in accordance with an executive order issued by Gov. Jim Doyle. The governor has also issued an executive order to fly the flags at half-staff on Sept. 11 in remembrance of Patriot Day.

EXECUTIVE ORDER # 326 reads:

Relating to a Proclamation that the Flag of the United States and the Flag of the State of Wisconsin be Flown at Half-Staff as a Mark of Respect for Private Adam Novak of the United States Army Who Lost His Life While Serving His Country in Operation Enduring Freedom.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JIM DOYLE, Governor of the State of Wisconsin, by the authority vested in me by Federal and State law, do hereby order that the flag of the United States and the flag of the State of Wisconsin shall be flown at half-staff at all buildings, grounds and military installations of the State of Wisconsin equipped with such flags beginning at sunrise on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010, and ending at sundown on that date.

PV2 Adam Jacob Novak, age 20, of Bravo Troop/ 1-33 C.A.V./ 3rd BCT of the 101st Airborne Unit of Ft. Campbell, KY was killed Friday, August 27, 2010 in the Dzardan District, Afghanistan. He was born in Fond du Lac on January 18, 1990 to Sue (Christ) and Greg Novak. Adam’s father, Greg, preceded him in death on March 3, 2002. At a young age Adam was invloved in many sports, which included soccer, T-ball, and hockey. He was a member of the Sauk Prairie Cub Scouts and later joined Boy Scout “Troop 101 Has Fun” when his family moved to Fergus Falls, MN. Adam returned to Sauk Prairie and spent his last two years of high school in Sauk Prairie, graduating in 2008. He enjoyed the outdoors, camping, hiking, woodworking, and causing mischief. Adam enlisted in the U.S. Army in September 2009, graduating from Basic Training at Ft. Benning, GA, and was later stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY. On March 12, 2010 he married Celeste Steussy in Clarksville, TN. They were planning a more formal wedding when he was able to return from duty.

In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by his grandfather, Fred Christ.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, September 11, 2010 at the Sauk Prairie River Arts Center at Sauk Prairie High School, 105 9th St.; Prairie du Sac, with The Very Reverend James Zotalis officiating. A visitation will be held from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm on Friday, September 10, 2010 at the River Arts Center, and will resume the morning of the service from 10am until service time. Interment will be held at a later date in Fergus Falls, MN. A memorial fund will be established in Adam’s name at the Bank of Prairie du Sac, 555 Park Ave. Prairie du Sac, 53578.

Brooke Novak-Warren said her brother was a driven young man with a number of possibilities ahead of him. But Adam J. Novak never had the time to turn his dreams into realities.

Novak, 20, was serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan when he was killed by a roadside bomb in August 2010.

Novak-Warren said her brother joined the armed services to turn his life around. He graduated from Sauk Prairie High School in 2008 and enlisted in the U.S. Army a year later.

“When he first told us he was thinking of joining the military we were so proud of him, but terribly scared something could happen to him while he was deployed,” Warren-Novak said. “Our father died in 2002 and we had a real close-knit family after he passed so we were proud of Adam, but just worried about his safety.”

Novak-Warren said her brother talked about becoming a U.S. Army Ranger and possibly becoming a police officer once he was out of the service.

“When he set his mind on something he would just do it,” Novak-Warren said. “He is missed. He was a great brother, son and a friend to a lot of people in the community.”

Brooke’s husband, Doug Warren, was one of Novak’s friends.

“I’ve known Adam since he was 10,” he said. “Even at a young age, he was willing to help others.”

Warren said when he was in construction and was doing some drywall work in Novak family’s basement Adam was right beside him.

“He always wanted to do something,” Warren said. “He was helping me with the trim and the drywall and he didn’t have to but he wanted to help me. That’s the kind of person he was.”

Warren said Adam loved sports and when he was younger played soccer, but gradually moved on to golf.

“When we worked together at Lake Wisconsin Country Club in Prairie du Sac, we played a lot of golf together,” Warren said. “He was a lot of fun to be around.”

Warren said it’s important for people to come out to the First Annual Celebration of Life Ride and Event in Sauk City to recognize Adam’s contribution and sacrifice to his country.

“A lot of young men and women are out there putting their lives on the line for our freedoms,” he said. “Whether you know someone in the service or not, this is one way of showing support for those folks putting their lives in harm’s way for us.”

Paul Davey, a family friend, said he and Novak’s step-father Rick Block came up with the idea of doing a memorial ride to raise money for a scholarship fund in Novak’s name.

Block and Davey rode motorcycles together, and Davey said a memorial ride seemed like a good idea for a fundraiser.

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